Device for rotatably supporting articles

ABSTRACT

A wall-mounted device for rotatably supporting articles relative to the surface of the wall. A main member of a frame is aligned with, and pivotally mounted in, a bracket on the wall. A plurality of other frame members are secured in spaced relationship along the main member to extend transversely therefrom and to provide support portions for an article-support platform carried in overlying relationship on the frame.

llnited States Patent [191 Viera DEVICE FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING ARTICLES [76] Inventor: Alfredo A. Viera, Padres Capuchinos 1135, Rio Piedras, PR. 00925 [22] Filed: Apr. 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.1 246,408

[52] US. Cl. 108/139, 248/145 [51 Int. Cl A47b 49/00 158] Field of Search 108/139, 142, 48; 211/78, 21 1/129, 131; 248/145 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,289,988 12/1966 McKcnney .1 248/145 1,595,206 8/1926 McIntosh 8/1931 Pressley 108/139 X 1,187,325 6/1916 lvey 248/145 1,401,824 12/1921 Smith 108/139 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 316,118 11/1956 Switzerland 108/142 Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Attorney, Agent, or FirmSpencer & Kaye I 57 ABSTRACT A wall-mounted device for rotatably supporting articles relative to the surface of the wall. A main member of a frame is aligned with, and pivotally mounted in, a bracket on the wall. A plurality of other frame members are secured in spaced relationship along the main member to extend transversely therefrom and to provide support portions for an article-support platform carried in overlying relationship on the frame.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As seen in FIG. 1, a bracket, generally indicated at This invention relates to a device which is swingably 10, has a base portion 11 that can be secured, by suitor rotatably mounted on a supporting wall and has a platform for supporting relatively heavy articles. Devices of various types or rotatably supporting articles, relative to a wall surface, are known and are used in the home, the office, or other places. For example, devices are used to support relatively light loads, such as small appliances, tools, flower pots, etc. Generally, with this type of device the installation is relatively easy because the device itself is relatively light in weight, and the anticipated load which is to be carried by the device is also light. Consequently, the devices for securing such an article supporting device to a wall are relatively simple.

However, if the device is to be used for rotatably mounting relatively heavy articles it is necessary to provide heavier devices and, often because of the weights involved, it is necessary to rely on more elaborate fastening devices for securing the device to the wall. It will be appreciated that as the total weight of the device is increased, it becomes harder to swing the device, and the article, or articles, carried thereon. In addition, it has been found that, because heavier and more complicated devices are required for this heavier type of application, the angle through which the article support portion of the device can be swung, relative to the sur face-of the wall on which it is mounted, is often severely limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device which can be easily mounted against a wall surface and which avoids those problems encountered in previously used devices.

In general, the device according to the invention has a metal frame over which a platform, having an upper table surface for supporting articles, can be placed. This platform is made of desired materials such as wood, plastic, etc. The metal frame is pivotly mounted in a bracket that can be secured against a wall surface.

A device according to this invention is particularly useful for supporting relatively heavy articles, such as closed-circuit television cameras, television sets, advertising displays, emergency lights in stores, etc., where it is desirable to cover a wide visual angle, with a swingable movement of the frame and platform. The angle can vary, depending on the dimensions of the platform, but ranges between 60 to near 120. When the supporting vertical surface is a round column, the angle can be greater.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the frame pivotally mounted in a wall mounted bracket according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a portion of a modified form of construction of the frame of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of another form of construction of the portion of the frame shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the platform and frame of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4.

able devices, such as bolts or screws, shown at 12, to the surface ofa wall 13, so as to be vertically oriented. Spaced apart plates 14 and 15 project from the base 15 and have openings through them, not seen, for a purpose to be described later.

A frame usually of metal pieces, generally indicated at 16, is adapted to be rotatably mounted with respect to bracket 10. This frame 16 has a main bar 17 along which a plurality of bars 18, 19 and 20 are secured in spaced relationship to extend transversely to the bar 17. These bars are secured to a face of the main bar 17 by suitable means, such as by welding and it will be observed that the bars differ in lengths, with bar 20 being the longest and bar 18 the shortest. The purpose for this particular configuration will be explained in more detail later.

Another bar 21 is secured, as by welding, to main bar 17, at a location spaced inwardly from one end thereof and to extend in a direction perpendicular to a plane which includes bars 18, 19 and 20. A brace member 22 is welded between the main bar 17 and bar 21. A bracket 23 is secured, as by welding, to the bar 21 to be spaced, but generally vertically aligned, relationship with that portion of the main bar 17 extending beyond the bar 21' to the one end thereof.

There are openings both-in the bracket 23 and the latter mentioned portion of the bar 17 and these openings are so positioned that, when frame 16 is associated with bracket 10, as seen in FIG. 1, they are aligned with corresponding openings in bracket plates 14 and 15 respectively. Frame 16 can be pivotally joined to the bracket by suitable means, such as pins 24 extending through the respective aligned openings so that the frame 16 can be swung or rotated in a horizontal plane relative to the bracket.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show two'other arrangements which can be used at that end of the main bar 17 which is to face the bracket 10. As seen FIG. 2, bar 17 is bent to form the bar portion 21 and there is a brace member 25 suitably welded in the bend. A separate plate 26 is welded to the other side of bar 17 to extend beyond the bend and there is an opening shown here at 27, to receive a pin.

In FIG. 3, bar 21 is braced between two strips 28, only one of which is seen, diagonally disposed and connected between bars 17 and 21. An abutting bar portion 29, which lies between the strips, is welded to bar 17 and bears against bar 21.

Attention is now directed to FIGS. 4 and 5 where a platform, generally indicated at 30, is shown carried in overlying relationship on the metal frame 61. Platform 30 may be of wood and is generally box-like in form with two side walls 31, 32 and a first end wall 33. A second end wall has two wall sections 34 and 35 disposed at an angle with respect to side walls 31 and 32 and coming to an apex by bar 21. A member 36, which has a flat upper support surface, covers, and is secured, to, the wall members. This member 36 carries three rib members 37, 38, and 39, which depend from this member, and are spaced so that when platform 30 is on the frame 16 these rib members rest on the bars 18, 19 and 20 respectively. The rib members can be secured to the bars by desired means, as for example screws, not shown.

It will be noted that there is a space between walls sections 34, 35, and a notch in the member 36, so that brace 22 can be accommodated in the platform. The underside of the platform 30 can be closed by a sheet 40 of wood or other material.

When the platform 30 is arranged on the frame 16, it will be observed that the greatest part of the frame 16 is enclosed within the platform 30 and only that part of this frame which is designed to lie closely adjacent to bracket will be visible.

It should be pointed out that, because the wall sections 34 and 35 are inclined away from the bracket engaging portion of the frame 16, the frame'and platform can be swung about the pivot point in bracket 10 through a relatively wide arc in either direction. This movement with respect to the wall surface on which the bracket 10 is mounted is, of course, desirable so the article carried on the upper support surface of the platform 30 can be seen along various lines of sight.

It is also important to point out that only one bracket member 10 is required in the device according to the invention with this arrangement the bracket is screened from the viewer by the article carried on the platform and a neat, but simple, construction is provided.

It will be understood that the' above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device connectable to a vertical surface for supporting an article and which is swingable relative to the surface, comprising in combination:

a. a bracket having a base portion, a first side adapted to be secured against the surface, and spaced apart plate members projecting from a side opposite the first side, said plate members being in generally vertically aligned relationship, and each being provided with an opening;

b. a frame having a main member, a plurality of cross members secured, at approximately their midpoints, to the upper face of said main member at spaced apart points along said main member, and extending transversely to said main member, an upright member secured to the one face of said main member at a location inwardly spaced from one end thereof, and extending perpendicular to the plane containing said cross members, a brace fastened between said upright member and said main member adjacent their point of connection, and a connector carried by said upright member, spaced above said main member, and aligned with that portion of said main member which lies between said upright member and the adjacent one end of said main member, said connector and said portion of said main member each being provided with an opening, and each overlying, and bearing upon, a respective one of said plate members;

0. connecting members extending through said openings in said plate members, said main member and said connector for rotatably securing said frame to said bracket; and

d. a platform received on said frame to extend over only that portion of said frame that extends between said upright member and the end of said main member opposite said one end thereof, said platform having a top wall for supporting the article and a plurality of rib members depending therefrom in spaced relationship, corresponding to the spacing of said plurality of cross members of said frame, said plurality of rib members bearing upon and being secured to said plurality of cross members, that one of said plurality of cross members that is nearest said upright member being shorter than the remainder of said cross members, and said top wall of said platform, in the area of said one of said cross members, converging inwardly to an apex point located adjacent to said upright member and being provided with a notch at such apex point for accommodating said brace. i l 

1. A device connectable to a vertical surface for supporting an article and which is swingable relative to the surface, comprising in combination: a. a bracket having a base portion, a first side adapted to be secured against the surface, and spaced apart plate members projecting from a side opposite the first side, said plate members being in generally vertically aligned relationship, and each being provided with an opening; b. a frame having a main member, a plurality of cross members secured, at approximately their midpoints, to the upper face of said main member at spaced apart points along said main member, and extending transversely to said main member, an upright member secured to the one face of said main member at a location inwardly spaced from one end thereof, and extending perpendicular to the plane containing said cross members, a brace fastened between said upright member and said main member adjacent their point of connection, and a connector carried by said upright member, spaced above said main member, and aligned with that portion of said main member which lies between said upright member and the adjacent one end of said main member, said connector and said portion of said main member each being provided with an opening, and each overlying, and bearing upon, a respective one of said plate members; c. connecting members extending through said openings in said plate members, said main member and said connector for rotatably securing said frame to said bracket; and d. a platform received on said frame to extend over only that portion of said frame that extends between said upright member and the end of said main member opposite said one end thereof, said platform having a top wall for supporting the article and a plurality of rib members depending therefrom in spaced relationship, corresponding to the spacing of said plurality of cross members of said frame, said plurality of rib members bearing upon and being secured to said plurality of cross members, that one of said plurality of cross members that is nearest said upright member being shorter than the remainder of said cross members, and said top wall of said platform, in the area of said one of said cross members, converging inwardly to an apex point located adjacent to said upright member and being provided with a notch at such apex point for accommodating said brace. 